reprinted from May 16 2007

Ashely and Tasha’s mother sends the the following from May 10:

I am OK!

Just wanted everyone to hear my story before it gets blown way out of proportion.
Yes…I did get hit with a roadside bomb (IED)
Yes…I am ok. I only have a few little cuts and bruises
Yes…I do have some hearing loss in my right ear
No…I did not do combat rolls out of the truck while still moving
No…I did not hit it on purpose (i didn’t see it till last sec)
Yes…My truck did catch on fire immediately after the detonation

The IED was called a pressure plate…a thing where once there is weight put on it, it will cause it to detonate. My driver and I saw a little pot hole in the road at the last second. My driver swerved to the left to miss it and we both saw something black in it. I was about to call it up on the radio but my side front tire hit it. The IED went off under me, which is where the fuel tanks are.

The truck immediately caught on fire and we could not see through the windshield due to the flames and smoke. I told my driver to stop the vehicle. He was having a hard time to get it to stop…it is a very big truck and going 45 mph will take some time until a dead stop. I didn’t think the truck was gonna stop but as I was about to tell my driver to bail, he brought it to a stop.

I told him that there was no way I could get out on my side because my side was the side on fire. He jumped out and I was almost right behind him when I got caught on something in the truck. I tried to get my weapon but couldn’t tell where it was through all of the smoke. I continued to free myself from the cooler that was in the back seat. Just as I was about to climb to the front to get out, I got caught on my head set. I couldn’t find the cord to unplug it so I struggled with it to get it off.

This whole time my driver was yelling for me because he realized that I was not out of the truck. I finally got untangled and bailed out the driver door. As I jumped out I saw a post sticking up and I could have sworn I was gonna land on it. Thank God I didn’t.

I fell to the ground…it is a long drop. When I got up the truck totally burst into flames. I ran to the guntruck and got in. We then watched the truck burn for about twenty minutes before we left the scene. All of my stuff was in it. I have nothing. All I have is a couple of uniforms and some civilian clothes waiting for me back at base. I dont even have a weapon right now.

That all happened after 2 am. I got word around 7 am that the truck was still in flames. It will be on fire for a while. Eventually someone will pick it up and bring it back to base.

Everyone was ok and I am ready for another mission.
-tasha

More about Tasha and her twin sister, Ashley:
Our Best: Babe Edition TWINS!
Help Our Deployed Soldiers
Interview With Ashley and Tasha

KCCI has a nice story about Ashley and Tasha Gerken, featured here many times.

Our Best: Babe Edition TWINS!

Interview With Ashley and Tasha

Tasha Got Blown Up

KCCI Channel 8 features Ashley and Tasha Gerken, and their mom and grandmother, in a nice piece.

Ashely and Tasha’s mother sends the the following from May 10:

I am OK!

Just wanted everyone to hear my story before it gets blown way out of proportion.
Yes…I did get hit with a roadside bomb (IED)
Yes…I am ok. I only have a few little cuts and bruises
Yes…I do have some hearing loss in my right ear
No…I did not do combat rolls out of the truck while still moving
No…I did not hit it on purpose (i didn’t see it till last sec)
Yes…My truck did catch on fire immediately after the detonation

The IED was called a pressure plate…a thing where once there is weight put on it, it will cause it to detonate. My driver and I saw a little pot hole in the road at the last second. My driver swerved to the left to miss it and we both saw something black in it. I was about to call it up on the radio but my side front tire hit it. The IED went off under me, which is where the fuel tanks are.

The truck immediately caught on fire and we could not see through the windshield due to the flames and smoke. I told my driver to stop the vehicle. He was having a hard time to get it to stop…it is a very big truck and going 45 mph will take some time until a dead stop. I didn’t think the truck was gonna stop but as I was about to tell my driver to bail, he brought it to a stop.

I told him that there was no way I could get out on my side because my side was the side on fire. He jumped out and I was almost right behind him when I got caught on something in the truck. I tried to get my weapon but couldn’t tell where it was through all of the smoke. I continued to free myself from the cooler that was in the back seat. Just as I was about to climb to the front to get out, I got caught on my head set. I couldn’t find the cord to unplug it so I struggled with it to get it off.

This whole time my driver was yelling for me because he realized that I was not out of the truck. I finally got untangled and bailed out the driver door. As I jumped out I saw a post sticking up and I could have sworn I was gonna land on it. Thank God I didn’t.

I fell to the ground…it is a long drop. When I got up the truck totally burst into flames. I ran to the guntruck and got in. We then watched the truck burn for about twenty minutes before we left the scene. All of my stuff was in it. I have nothing. All I have is a couple of uniforms and some civilian clothes waiting for me back at base. I dont even have a weapon right now.

That all happened after 2 am. I got word around 7 am that the truck was still in flames. It will be on fire for a while. Eventually someone will pick it up and bring it back to base.

Everyone was ok and I am ready for another mission.
-tasha

More about Tasha and her twin sister, Ashley:
Our Best: Babe Edition TWINS!
Help Our Deployed Soldiers
Interview With Ashley and Tasha

Ashley and Tasha Gerken are two young women serving you and I, in the United States Army. They’re stationed in Kuwait but were able to respond to my interview request on a recent leave. Anything in italics is theirs. I have not changed a thing.

Bio: Ashley and Tasha- 20 years old, 88M, SGT/E-5 currently with the 217th TC from San Antonio, TX. Joined at 17 years of age during Junior year in High School at Manson Northwest Webster in Manson, IA. We were assigned to the 482nd TC (915 unit), which then became 445th TC (PLS unit). Did basic training in Fort Jackson, SC, during summer of 2004. Then went back to High School to finish senior year, then went to Fort Bliss, TX, during summer of 2006, for AIT. Moved to El Paso, TX, at the beginning of 2006 and in March transferred to 5035th Garrison Support Unit on Fort Bliss, TX. Then in June, was put on orders for deployment.

1. Why did you enlist? Are there other members of the military in your family that influenced your decision

Ashley- I have always wanted to do the military thing my whole life. I remember always wanting to play as a military person. Then one day walking through the mall, I wanted to stop in to talk to our recruiter, who was friends with our mom. We ended up going to MEPS within a few days. No influences, we just both wanted to do it.

tash- When we were both really young, we had always had this dream of becoming a “GI JOE”. We were both tom-boys and since we had already planned on joining it was rather simple. Our family always knew, in the back of their head, that we would join some day. We were 17 when we enlisted and because of that we needed a parents signature. Everyone in our family was shocked that we wanted to join while we were still in high school but since our mother knew if she didn’t sign the paper then we would just wait until the next year. So, with much time to think, she signed them. I wanted to go Air Force but I researched the branches and found that the Army Reserves would best suit me. There was really no influence at all about it….our family just stood behind us in our decision.


2. How long do you plan on serving?

Ashley- I want to go Active duty and do 20 years, but I feel like I am in a position that it would be best if I stay reserves, with some of the future plans I have.

tash- I was planning on going Active duty after high school and be in for 20 years. Now…I still would like to do 20 years but I have started my life long dream of barrel racing and I am starting to get some of my goals started. So, I kind of thought through it and I figured that if I do 20 years as a reservist I will still have all the benefits…just at a later time. Plus, I want to work as an instructor for transportation so I can stay in the reserves and do a civilian job.


3. Without violating opsec, please describe a typical convoy.

BOTH- Well, a convoy is anything over two vehicles and we probably average 25 vehicles in a convoy. All we do is pick up whatever it is that is needed and take it to where it needs to go. Depending on where we have to go a mission can last close to a month. We are always scanning for any suspicious activity or anything that looks like a threat.


4. Do you wear body armor while working? Are your vehicles armored? Are you comfortable with this level of protection?

BOTH- Only when we are on mission do we wear our body armor. Because we are stationed in Kuwait, it is considered a safe zone and therefore we do not need to wear it. Yes, the vehicles are up armored and I am very comfortable with the level of protection. The trucks we drive are like the safest wheeled vehicle you can drive….and the biggest.


5. What are your impressions of Iraq and Kuwait, as a place to visit, their people? Do you get any opportunity to meet locals off base?

BOTH- I don’t think it is somewhere to go on vacation but it is not a bad place. Most of the people I have seen are really humble and appear to be harmless. I have met some locals and they are really nice people. They offer you gifts and are just really friendly towards the soldiers. Yes, you do have to follow the saying ‘trust no one’ but all in all they are glad we are there and that we got Saddam out. It would be a good place for some people to visit just to show how much we take for granted. I know I will try not to do that again because I realize how easy we have it in the states.


6. What would you say to a young woman thinking of enlisting?

BOTH- You really need to be able to pull your weight and learn to take initiative. An important thing to consider before joining is ‘Am I joining for the right reason?’ I honestly wouldn’t want someone fighting by my side knowing that they are only there for college money and not to serve with their fellow soldiers. I have seen too many people joining for the wrong reason and then regretting it in the long run. Some are just not meant to be in the military at all. Females: You need to do what you are told, put up with the other male/female soldiers (trust me on this one), and don’t pull the ‘Females can get away with anything’ stuff (too many think that), and you would do just fine in the military.


7. What one piece of advice would you give your replacement in theater? What hard-learned lesson or tip or trick that proves invaluable?

tash- Short-cuts you find aren’t always good. Safety always has to come first so take your time to think everything out first before you act. We have had too many preventable incidents so far, and another one: “Complacency kills!”




8. Every time I write a piece about women in combat, such as Amanda Pinson or Leigh Ann Hester, some caveman always wants to argue that women do not belong in combat. What is your opinion?

Ashley- Why can’t a woman be in combat? Cause we are supposed to be the “house wife”? The military is “so” big on Equal Opportunities, but females can’t do a portion of the jobs, because they are female. I can carry my weight and out do some males, so how is someone going to tell me that women don’t belong in combat? There are some males that definitely don’t belong here.

tash- I absolutely HATE when people think that. It is a free country and we can do whatever we want. I have seen females totally out do males. Females can be just as good or better then males. I know some males that would love to be able to do what I can or know what I know. I disagree with the fact about females aren’t allowed in the infantry. Oh well, I guess….we all have our opinions.


MOS 88M

Heavy Equipment Transporter

Army Ranks

5035th Garrison Support Unit on Fort Bliss, TX

]]> http://northshorejournal.org/interview-with-ashley-and-tasha/feed 8 http://northshorejournal.org/help-our-deployed-soldiers http://northshorejournal.org/help-our-deployed-soldiers#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:00:42 +0000 Chuck Simmins http://northshorejournal.org/index.php/2007/04/help-our-deployed-soldiers

Ashley and Tasha Gerken have been featured here in the past. I have an extensive interview with these soldiers coming up next week [April 24]. As part of the interview, I asked them what we could do for them and their fellow soldiers.

SGT GERKEN, ASHLEY
24th Trans, BN. 217th TC (HET)
APO, AE 09366

Here are their comments. Ashley will distribute your gifts to her unit.

Ashley:

Soldiers are always looking forward to getting mail. Even a letter to the soldiers is fine. You can just have people write to the company and they can hand them out to soldiers. Phone cards is another big thing, if anyone wants to donate some.

Tasha:

I honestly hate asking for anything except to pray for all of the soldiers serving. They don’t get the recognition they deserve. I guess if I had to ask for something (besides coming home) it would be some horse magazines. I have a big love for horses and the stores have pretty much everything but horse magazines.

Baby wipes are always popular in the heat and dust. Paperbacks as well. Remember with your gifts that Kuwait is a Muslim state so don’t send anything that could get these young women in trouble. These post office has two sizes of flat rate boxes, all you can stuff in. The boxes are free and the cost is $8.10, I believe. APO addresses are standard rate for letters, so write early and often.

Please mention America’s North Shore Journal when you send something.

]]> http://northshorejournal.org/help-our-deployed-soldiers/feed 0 http://northshorejournal.org/our-best-babe-edition-twins http://northshorejournal.org/our-best-babe-edition-twins#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:00:16 +0000 Chuck Simmins http://northshorejournal.org/index.php/2007/04/our-best-babe-edition-twins

Yes, today we feature good looking twins. Female type military personnel. Twins, dammit!

Picking on old media, even.



Twin sisters Sgt. Tasha Gerken, right, and Sgt. Ashley Gerken look through a “Stars and Stripes” newspaper, changing words of the headlines into humourous phrases. It’s a hobby the two picked up while deployed to Kuwait. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Christopher Jones 40th Public Affairs Detachment

DoD

Sgt. Tasha Gerken is left-handed.

It’s an important bit of information if you want any chance of distinguishing her from Sgt. Ashley Gerken, her twin sister.

Of course, through their eyes, there are plenty of differences.

“You wouldn’t want two Tashas,” said Ashley, smiling at her sister.

“It’s better than two Ashleys,” her sister responds.

Deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, the Iowa-born twins are truck drivers in the 217th Transportation Company, supporting Third Army/U.S. Army Central.

Ashley and Tasha are virtually indistinguishable by appearances, and they have been known to play tricks on members of their unit.

Sometimes Tasha’s squad leader, Staff Sgt. Timmie Wilkins, approaches his Soldier to relay information to her, unaware that Tasha is not really Tasha.

“It’s confusing,” said Wilkins. “I go up and talk to this one [pointing at Ashley], and she’ll just let me go on and on”¦”

“I have to get the same information twice,” quipped Tasha.

If life seems complicated as one of the Gerken’s squad leader, imagine being a boyfriend.

Ashley recalls a time in high school when a guy she was dating got a little confused.

“Her boyfriend got mixed up after [Ashley] left the room,” said Tasha, “and he came up to me and starting touching my leg and hugging me. I was like, “˜um, hello?’”

The Gerkens’ Army career began in Manson, Iowa, after their junior year at Manson Northwest Webster High School. At this time, the twins were off to Basic Training. They went to Advanced Individual Training upon graduating the following year.

The Gerkens’ primary mission in theater isn’t actually in Kuwait – the twins drive heavy equipment transporters, distributing cargo to various camps in Iraq.

Dangerous as their job is, their unit ensures the Gerken twins are never in the same convoy while in Iraq.

“What it boils down to is that if something happens [on the road], you don’t want it to happen to both of them,” said Wilkins.

With such a rule in place, the Gerkens don’t often get to see each other, even though they are deployed to the same camp. But both Ashley and Tasha say they know it’s for the best, especially with the peace-of-mind it offers their other family members back home.

However, Ashley and Tasha aren’t used to being away from each other; in fact, the first time one went on a mission in Iraq was the longest they had ever been separated.

“Back home, we spend every minute together,” said Ashley. “We spend a lot less time together here because of [the mission].”

And during these times of separation, family members are quick to remind the sisters to not only keep in touch with family back home, but also with each other. “I’ll get e-mails from mom,” said Ashley, “and she will say, “˜Tasha misses you. E-mail her.’”

But when they do get the chance to be together at Camp Arifjan, they take advantage of it.

“We don’t spend much time away from each other when we’re both here,” said Ashley. “We’re lucky to have family here, and we’re best friends.”

Sibling rivalries may be common, especially among twins, but Ashley and Tasha consider themselves unique since they rarely argue and jealousy is hardly an issue ““ “except when I get more comments on [the Web site] Myspace,” says Ashley. “[Tasha] gets kind of jealous when that happens. She’s like, “˜Why did mom leave you a comment and not me?’”

Their friendship is such that whenever the two discuss future plans, the plans normally include each other.

After their redeployment, they plan on settling down in El Paso, Texas, a place they “fell in love with” while being mobilized at nearby Fort Bliss.

They want to buy several acres of property to build a ranch, where they can breed horses.

For their family in northwestern Iowa, El Paso isn’t as close as they would like to be to the twins, but at least they can rest easy, knowing they’ll be in good company.

“We’re so used to being together that we always find a way to hang out,” said Tasha. “It’s just natural for us to be together.”

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